r/FATTravel

Just got back from opening weekend at Aman Sveti Stefan. 3 nights on the island.

This is genuinely the most unique and special property I’ve ever stayed at. The entire island is a restored 15th century village, and everything was kept exactly as it was. Stone lanes, original structures, the works. Walking through it doesn’t feel like a hotel.

The Stay
The staff was warm and welcoming across the board, and the food was solid. Nothing memorable, but no misses either.

There were a few opening kinks. The water went out momentarily, and some of the staff is younger and clearly still in training. A few moments of laziness that you don’t expect at an Aman. All fixable, and expected 48 hours after reopening.

My biggest gripe was security. The guards repeatedly didn’t recognize us as guests, either questioning whether we were staying there or flat out not opening the gate, leaving us standing outside our own hotel. At this level, guest recognition is day one basics.

Huge shoutout to Matt and Kaya, the two GMs. Genuinely incredible at what they do. They brought the energy and attention you expect from Aman and made everything feel perfect whenever they were involved.

The Beaches
This is where you need to understand the layout, because nobody explains it properly:

The beach directly on the island is public and crowded. Skip it.

Beach 1: semi-private, shared with Nammos restaurant

Beach 2: private, but the public walkway runs above it. This was my favorite. Every guest defaulted to Beach 3, so Beach 2 was completely empty

Beach 3: fully private with its own entrance, completely hidden from the public. The spa and pool are here

Value
We paid over $11k for 3 nights. At its current state, this is a $1,500/night property, not a $3,300/night one. The Aman magic was there whenever the GMs were involved, but it wasn’t there on a minute by minute basis the way it is at other Amans. The bones are unmatched. The operations need to catch up to the price.

Final Thoughts
Would I return? 100%. The property itself is a once in a lifetime setting and the potential is obvious. Give the team a few months to train up and work out the kinks, and this could be one of the best Amans in the world. Right now, it’s a stunning property charging for a version of itself that doesn’t exist yet.

TL;DR
The most beautiful property I’ve ever stayed at, priced ahead of where its operations currently are. The GMs are world class, the setting is unmatched, and the service will get there. Book it in a few months, or book it now knowing you’re paying for the future version.

I gotta say.

First Class cabin hits different than business cabin.

Would I do it again?

ABSOLUTELY!!!

Most of our travel revolves around food and spa. We like to hike and walk a lot and get a lot of massages, eat great food and I felt like Whistler was so perfect for that.

The property & location

The resort sits towards the upper village, but very walkable to the lower village. This was one of my favorite features of the location. If you like getting your steps in, you can wander the whole village on foot and walk back to the property without ever thinking about a car. Great base for exploring, and an easy stroll to most of the restaurants we went to. Only used a car to get to Rim Rock.

Upon check in, we were upgraded to a suite (we had a mountain view room I believe), and the extra space was really wonderful for the five night stay we had. The balcony had a great view and we enjoyed our morning coffees there. You could also watch the live music and see how crowded the pool is from this vantage point!

The spa (my only reason I go anywhere)

We enjoyed the following treatments, spread across four days.

• Golden Dreams oil massage
• Glacial Melt massage
• Salish Stone massage
• HydraFacials

If you have sensitive skin, definitely make sure your aesthetician hears this! Mine went a little crazy with a peel but it wasn't really an issue, just lots of SPF and tried to avoid direct sunlight as much as possible. Our massages were very good, lots of therapists from Australia and London, so it was fun to talk to them about life in Whistler. Spa facilities were clean and the eucalyptus steam room was always empty so I definitely enjoyed that a few times. Lots of yummy teas and snacks here as well and I loved that ursa major themed relaxation area!

Dining

Honestly, the food was the highlight of the entire trip, on-property and off.

Sidecut (hotel restaurant). The A5 wagyu was my husband's favorite, the basque cheesecake was delicious, and the potato bread was fantastic. If you want to do the special tasting menu, they do require 72 hours notice. We didn't get to do that but the regular offerings were very good.

On our first day, the manager stopped by our lunch table at Braidwood Tavern, introduced himself, and warmly welcomed us to the property on behalf of Apollo (amazing person to work with on Sarah's team) and himself - they took care of our coffee and desserts, which was so nice!

Rim Rock Cafe — best meal of the trip. The green goddess salad was something I still think about today and the potato-crusted halibut was perfect. If you do one off-property dinner, make it this one, but you really can't go wrong with any of these. The vibes are also so nice and they have plenty of zero-proof options. We had the Road to Hana drink which was delicious and a funny memory to think about while in this small restaurant in BC!

Araxi. The crab and salmon cake, snap pea salad, and cherry cheesecake were all excellent. Service was very good; there were a couple of small hiccups during our meal, but the team handled them graciously and were genuinely lovely about it.

Wild Blue — best zero-proof options we've had anywhere. They coursed our dinner and paired a mocktail to each round, and every one was fresh and delicious. Still thinking about the gimlet and the yuzu spritz. We couldn't choose between desserts so we got three, and the chocolate fondant was the perfect ending to our five-night stay.

The staff were also always asking us where we chose to dine for dinner each night and said each one of these were the best places to eat in Whistler! I still have a long list of places I'd love to check out - next time!

We did several trails, the Blackcomb Gondola, walked around the lakes and wooded areas.

Service was as always, usual FS standard. The airport transfers were decent, but the roads are twisty and a slight problem if your driver is as enthusiastic about those turns as mine was.

And lastly, we'd recently lost our dog, and when we got to the room there was a handwritten note along with a framed photo of him placed by my bedside. I fully cried lol. Thank you Sarah and Apollo for another phenomenal trip, the details are always flawless with them.

PS - isn't the bear sculpture amazing? We spoke briefly to the sculptor who said it's one of the last ones made out Honeycomb Calcite and weighs 500 pounds!

I realized how spoiled rotten we are when every conversation is 'Maldives was better '.....

Here's a bit of a review about the four seasons Bora Bora ...but first let me explain..

We have visited soneva in Maldives 3 years in a row. We are obsessed. We dont normally revisit hotels but soneva captured our heart. The level of service is beyond what I can put into words. They know what I want before I even know! Our kids lovvvved their kids club and all the snack rooms with icecream and chocolate.

We decided to revisit Bora Bora after our first trip 15 year ago (honeymoon). I thought maybe this wasn't a great idea with kids but i consider them pretty good teavellers and would have fun regardless of waterslides or snack rooms.

We had a warm greeting upon arrival and moved to one of the restaurants for our check in process. The room wouldn't be ready until 3 (soneva check in is seemless with rooms ready upon arrival and no real check in process). We decided to check out the bar while the kids checked out the kids club. This is where the tone was set...the stress the bartenders and workers felt was evident. There was no warm greeting or welcome etc. It was more of a bother .... we just felt their stress and it was something we felt with all staff throughout our stay.

Food was meh

Rooms were meh (i mean compared to soneva villas in the Maldives nothing can compare )

Kids club was meh but my kids made so many friends it didnt matter

Service was meh (they were lovely just overworked I believe). Dont get me wrong....they were all very nice! Just no above and beyond.

Breakfast buffet was meh except their French toast off the menu. The fruit section was totally lacking.

We got a wakeup at 630 ...they knocked on the wrong door.

A lot of small inconveniences that just worked up to an average level of service and stay .

What was stellar...the property grounds were impeccable. Absolutely perfection. Every corner was just gorgeous. The spa also had a complimentary sauna and plunge pool which we used daily. Concierge team was always super responsive.

If you haven't been to an over the top hotel before,im sure 4sBB will be a fantastic stay. We just left saying 'Maldives was better......u know you're spoiled when you're at a 5 star hotel in Bora Bora and leave a tiny bit disappointed.

I recently spent several days at Ambergris Cay with my three kids, my sister, and her family. I know June is kind of a random time to go to Turks & Caicos but I usually travel with my kids and my sister and her family every summer. We love going places with serviced villas and homes that also have resort amenities (like Blackberry Mountain) and she wanted to go here this year. She is a scary redhead and I’m afraid of her, so this is where we ended up. However, I really enjoyed our visit and I’m glad we went.

A Little History
Ambergris Cay has been privately owned since 1811.
One of the stranger chapters in its history came in 1978, when a group of Arizona investors reportedly offered $50 million to purchase the island, separate from Turks and Caicos, create its own currency, and establish its own security force. The British government declined.
The island later became the site of an ambitious residential development that ultimately failed, entered receivership in 2010, and was eventually acquired by Lord Michael Ashcroft, who also owns two decidedly non-FAT resorts, Blue Haven Resort and Alexandra Resort on Providenciales.

The resort welcomed its first guests in late 2019.
I mention all of this because it explains why Ambergris Cay feels different. It wasn’t conceived as a luxury hotel from the beginning. It’s a remarkable piece of land that gradually evolved into one, and it still feels that way.

First Impressions
Ambergris Cay covers roughly 1,100 acres.
The accommodations occupy only a small portion of the island. The rest is a wild coastal landscape of beaches, rocky coastline, salt ponds, cacti and rugged coastal shrub, and open space.
During our stay the resort was essentially full.
Outside of meals, we rarely saw another guest.

Getting There
You’ll fly into Providenciales (PLS), where I have one very strong recommendation.
Book VIP airport service. After clearing customs, you transfer to Atlantic Aviation and board one of the resort’s private aircraft for the approximately 20-minute flight to Ambergris Cay, which is shared with other guests and resort staff, so you will possibly have to wait in the FBO for other passengers.

The flights operate only during daylight hours, so I would avoid arriving into Providenciales late in the afternoon.

The Accommodations
The accommodations fall into three distinct categories.

Private Villas

There are a dozen villas available to rent, ranging from three to six bedrooms, including Dream Estate, the flagship accommodation that combines two neighboring villas into an eleven-bedroom private compound. It includes multiple pools, two butlers, a private chef, spa treatment room, gym, sauna, putting green, game area.

All villas sit along Columbus Beach on the Atlantic side of the island.

One thing prospective guests should know is that Columbus Beach experiences seasonal sargassum, generally from late spring through early fall.

The resort works hard to remove it each day, but nature ultimately wins. It was pretty bad while we were there.

The Bungalows
There are two different bungalow experiences.
The Monk Beach Bungalows sit directly on the beach with plunge pools and easy ocean access.

The new Waterside Bungalows, which opened this summer, overlook the calm lagoon near the Club House. Each of them also includes dedicated kayaks and paddleboards.

There is no sargassum on this side.

Food
The food was generally pretty solid - everything we ate was ok to good. Service was consistent if a little slow at times.
There are two restaurants on property, so dining options are limited, but they do switch up the menu midweek so that helps add some variety.
Calico is the primary restaurant and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The Club House was our preferred spot. The pizzas were surprisingly excellent, and Friday night’s Caribbean dinner was super fun - family style local food beachside.
Everything, including premium alcoholic beverages and gratuities, is included.
One unexpected feature was the resident saxophone player, who performs during dinner (and even lunch) most evenings. Depending on your perspective, it’s either charming or a little weird.

During winter, humpback whales migrate through the surrounding waters.

Beaches/Activities/Wellness
The beaches vary dramatically depending on where you stay. The western side has the classic Turks and Caicos experience: calm, shallow, turquoise water that’s ideal for swimming and paddleboarding. The eastern side faces the Atlantic, with darker water, larger waves, and a much wilder feel. The island is also home to the country’s largest population of Turks and Caicos rock iguanas, which roam freely throughout the property.

The snorkeling was one of the best surprises of our stay. We took the boat to Little Ambergris Cay, where we found healthy fan coral, lots of fish crystal-clear water, and no other people in sight - it was pretty magical.

Included activities include paddleboards, kayaks, pickleball, tennis, a floating water trampoline, guided island tours, and non-motorized water sports. I particularly recommend both the Little Ambergris snorkeling trip and the floating tiki bar. Fishing, diving, and other excursions are available for an additional charge.

Elevate Spa currently offers massage and wellness treatments, with a larger spa under construction. The gym is modern, well equipped, and was rarely busy during our stay.

Kids
There’s currently a small kids club with fairly limited programming.
A much larger facility is under construction and expected to open later this year.
That said, I don’t think Ambergris Cay is the kind of place where most children spend much time indoors anyway.
Mine spent their days swimming, paddleboarding, searching for iguanas, jumping on the floating trampoline, snorkeling, and driving around the island with us in golf carts.

Service
Service was warm and genuinely friendly throughout our stay. Everyone we interacted with clearly wanted guests to have a good experience, and the atmosphere felt relaxed rather than overly formal.

Every accommodation has an Island Host who acts as your primary point of contact throughout your stay. We had Jason, who handled our requests quickly. All of the staff live on Ambergris Cay year round, creating a genuine sense of community among the staff. Everyone we met was friendly and eager to help.

Who this is for
• Families who want space to spread out.
• Multigenerational trips
• Couples and travelers on romantic trips looking for privacy over nightlife.
• Travelers who’ve already done Grace Bay.
• Nature lovers who enjoy snorkeling and wildlife.
• People who appreciate an all-inclusive experience without crowds.

Who this is not for
• Food-focused travelers.
• Nightlife or social scene seekers.
• Guests wanting multiple restaurants.
• Families relying on a robust kids club (although one is coming in November).
• Anyone who dislikes small plane transfers.
• Guests who want lush tropical landscaping.
• Travelers who need to leave the resort to explore restaurants or towns.

TLDR: Have already looked multiple times at which sailing to book next. But happy to answer any specific questions.

I have a lot of thoughts about the FS Yacht... and I will give my day to day too but figured it's easiest to either agree so far or disagree with Ryan Walker's youtube review of the FS yacht that got a lot of eyeballs. (I used Google LM for this below summary of his video as honestly, I didn't watch it.. and won't spend an hour of my life doing so). And then also happy to answer any questions.

Complaints and Negative Feedback:

• Check-in and Welcome: The embarkation process was described as confusing and chaotic, with bags tossed around and an empty, underwhelming welcome ceremony.

This is partly true - kind of a mess, not gonna lie. Your car drops you in one spot, they tag and take your luggage there, then you walk through, then you get into their car that drives you down the port to where you actually check in. And the check-in area has no AC. Here's the real issue though - the cruise terminal staff aren't Four Seasons people. They're port employees and they had no clue about the procedure. That's going to be the hard part for FS long-term: they hit so many different ports and almost every itinerary is different, so versus something like Holland America running the same loop every week where the local staff know it cold, these guys were clueless. What saved it was the actual FS crew wandering around, talking to people, befriending everyone, made it way better. Then after check-in you walk AGAIN to the boat. Doesn't look far, but not fun in the heat.

Can I blame FS for it? Not sure they could've done it better. But that's the embarkation, warts and all.

The welcome ceremony = was it the welcome party on the boat? Because on ours, it was nice bites, complimentary drinks, Dom non-stop, kids got slushies, live music. Our crew of kiddos were in the pool the whole time splashing around while some guests were dressed up around the pool. I felt that FS made BOTH groups feel totally welcome, which is the whole trick. Really lovely sail-off - but maybe everyone without kids hated it.

• Pricing and Value: The $26,000 base rate is not all-inclusive; guests must pay extra for lunch, dinner, room service, spa treatments, activities, and excursions. He felt the cruise is missing touchpoints that justify the price.

Everyone in our crew paid $42,200 or $60,300 for Seaview Suite w/Studios or Ocean Suite w/Studios before our group discount. So far, we've found it nice that it's a la carte as you don't feel tied to staying and eating on the boat vs being onshore. Again, my TLDR was that we're already looking for other sailings so we feel the price is pretty good. Also, we even talked about doing it as a charter but we actually like the yacht more due to the additional amenities vs the size of boat we would get for relative $$.

• Pool and Amenities: The main Piscine pool lacks a jacuzzi, running track, or poolside service, making the area feel sterile, cold, and unused.

It doesn't have a jacuzzi but eww - no running track. It's a space to relax and chill and have fun, not have someone sweaty run by you. We've used this space everyday. Should you yacht and try to swim outdoors in April in Europe? No. And also, there is poolside service. It's great. We've ordered tons of drinks, adults and kids.

• Activities and Entertainment: The daily schedule is disappointing and entirely focused on music (like piano, acoustic guitar, and DJ sessions), lacking any trivia, competitions, or varied entertainment.

Maybe if you want to be on a large cruise ship. Why would I want to play trivia or bingo etc? The entertainers have been great... and to give you an example of why FS is amazing, I'm walking my 3yo back to the room after dinner, and earlier the pianist-singer had been doing a song she didn't know. I told her that on the way back, we could ask her for a request. She not only played Golden (a little out there for an acoustic piano set?), she handed my daughter a mic. And because it seemed like she couldn't decide between Frozen and Golden, Thomas - a crew member my daughter has completely befriended - asked for Frozen himself. So they played Frozen too. This is after the singer had already packed up and was getting ready to leave. They added two extra songs just for my daughter. That's the stuff that makes me want to rebook.

• Fitness and Spa Operations: The gym is cramped, packed, and only offers a single 30-minute stretching class at 7:00 AM. The spa failed to offer basic high-end amenities upon check-in, such as a welcome drink, snack, or water.

No idea. Didn't go yet. Will ask others to go for me and report back.

• Medical Center: The facility has highly restrictive hours, only open from 9:00 to 11:00 AM and 4:00 to 6:00 PM.

This is not true. The hours are something else, I don't remember. But we actually had to use this already. My older kiddo woke up in the middle of the first night BLAZING hot, super high fever, and by morning was still saying her brain hurt, her back hurt, she couldn't walk so we went full panic. I'm carrying her to even find the medical center, when a crew member spots me, asks what's going on, and tells me to stay right there. Center's technically closed but they're calling the doctor immediately. There's an after-hours fee and it was very reasonable but if you need a doctor, you're not restricted to whatever hours they have. I walked in scared this was something that needed an airlift and it turned out to be tonsillitis. The medical center was top notch, big big fans, they were amazing.

• Itinerary Execution: The ship's itinerary was heavily rearranged to accommodate an outdoor "Marina Day," which was ultimately ruined by bad weather, leaving guests standing around with confused staff. Some ports felt like uninteresting stopovers.

Don't expect a marina day in April. But ours is tmrw, I can report back tomorrow. I don't know where he stopped. But it's not like the ports are magically announced after you get on. Book a sailing which has interesting ports to you?

• Room Design and Functionality:

  • The $30,000 transparent TV sacrifices picture clarity for design.

• We don't use TVs. Glad the TV isn't blocking my ocean view.

  • The balcony door is exhaustingly heavy to open.

• My bedroom balcony door opens fine. The living room balcony door also is just push of a button which is SOO nice.

  • The air conditioning failed in the middle of the night, and the mattress quality did not match land-based Four Seasons properties.

• Haven't noticed this. We slept on the sofabed to keep the girls separate to quarantine the infection and even the sofabed was fine to sleep in.

  • Room technology is glitchy, with broken drapes and buttons that require extra-long presses.

• I think the extra long presses is on purpose. You dim the lights or brighten the lights until it's 100% or 0%. I like the control. But I have to admit, this was not told to us, so we were pushing random buttons day 1.

  • Turndown service was minimal; lights were barely dimmed and bedside water was not restocked.

• Haven't noticed. Think they've done a good job. My room now has about 25 bottles of sparkling water. The housekeeping turndown team asked if I liked sparkling or still and maybe they just keep adding more to my stash. It looks kind of funny.

• Cleanliness and Health Hazards: The tap and minibar water smelled and tasted like sewage. Water was left stagnant in the espresso machine and kettle from a previous guest, and a clipped toenail was found on the floor.

Haven't noticed. I don't think you're EVER supposed to drink tap water from a cruise / yacht ship. Right?? This is like drinking from an airplane tap. No way. We have tons and tons of bottles of water. And everything in the mini bar is free. What is sewage water from a minibar?

• Plumbing Issues: About 50% of the time, the shower only dispensed cold water.

Not true. I even counted how long it took for me to get hot water - 10 seconds because one of my friends on this trip complained to me how long it took them (they were messing with me due to Ryan Walker video). Everyone has hot water... its very hot water if you want but easy to control and really great shower. Also kids like the bath too. The bathrooms are super luxurious.

• Dining Disappointments:

  • He was served a raspberry with mold inside at the breakfast buffet.

• Haven't had this issue. Only noticed the best yummiest yellow dragonfruit from Mexico. In my room also had Korean grapes, Japanese Mangos... and they are saving me some white strawberries from Japan tomorrow morning :) The fruit that they have secured is absolutely mindblowing. I honestly don't know if they do this all the time - happy to ask for you - or if they just did it for me since they knew I was a fruit fanatic. Also have eaten, amazing Ranier cherries - probably from Pac NW - but I didn't ask - and Japanese watermelons.

  • The breakfast quinoa bowl was unappetizing, and the hotel uses cheap Twinings tea bags instead of high-end options.

• Didn't check. Can check for you. All our breakfasts have been great but we're not very demanding for breakfast.

  • The Sedna amuse-bouche was heavily over-fried, and a parmesan parfait dish featured overwhelming textures that triggered his gag reflex.

• Haven't tried Sedna yet.

  • A room service eggs benedict featured an overcooked yolk and a bizarre pressurized Hollandaise spray bottle that aggressively exploded all over the room.

• No room service breakfast yet but no one has complained about the room service ordered.

• Service and Staff Polish:

  • Despite noting a severe bean allergy, he was served dishes containing beans three times on his first day.

• They know my kiddo has a dairy allergy and I even asked to make sure she wasn't left out with all the other kids around. Every morning, they have a vegan pastry waiting for her.

  • Staff were spotted smoking, sitting down on the job, and using their phones.

• Haven't seen this but did notice one grumpy waiter at Terrasse.

  • A staff member sprayed down his balcony with water while he was trying to relax on it.

• Hasn't happened to us.

  • A crew member candidly admitted to him that the cruise was not worth the money.

• That sucks but again, we're ready to rebook.

• Ship Readiness: The quarter-million-dollar Presidential Suite was entirely unfinished and rushed, and decorative corners were cut, like a low-quality plastic tangerine tree in the lounge.

No idea - sadly it's booked as we were looking to upgrade to a specialty. The summer sailings are HOT and so booked.

Positive Feedback and Highlights:

• Ship Engineering and Stabilization: The ship's build is incredibly solid, gorgeous, and striking. The stabilization technology is phenomenal, making it easy to forget you are on the ocean. The ship can also rotate 360 degrees and crabwalk sideways.

YES! This is so cool!

• Room Aesthetics and Space: The base-level room is the largest suite currently on the ocean, featuring a jaw-dropping, exquisite design with high-quality materials. The bathroom boasts beautiful green jade, backlit mirrors, a heated toilet seat, and excellent shower pressure.

Haven't seen base. But everyone in our group loves their room.

• Room Perks: Guests receive a beautiful welcome cookie, truffles, and complimentary champagne on ice. The mini-fridge includes complimentary non-alcoholic drinks and MadeGood snacks, and the included WiFi is reasonably fast for being at sea.

Yes - and tailored more to our clients/our needs. For no champagne, we got the best sparkling tea that I love from FS Japan (and super expensive). And then we had art stuff for the kids that they made happen in less than 24 hours.

• Spa and Medical Facilities: The L’Oceana Spa features stunning mosaic tiling, an incredible dry sauna view, a steam hammam, a cold plunge, and a negative 121°F cryotherapy chamber. The $620 Miracle Broth Facial was thorough and luxurious. The medical center features a beautiful McLaren-inspired design and luxurious Four Seasons bedding.

The medical facilities was crazy cool. Hope none of you ever need it but it's advanced and legit if you do.

• Gym Equipment: The fitness center utilizes brand new, highly advanced Technogym equipment.

Again, no gym but I'll let you know from others.

• Standout Dining:
  • The Miuna Omakase sushi restaurant offered a true ultra-luxury culinary experience, highlighted by a brown butter oyster and melt-in-your-mouth truffle wagyu.
• EPIC - had this last night. Highly recommend.
  • The Pistachio café serves expertly prepared espresso and visually stunning desserts.
• AGREE.
  • The roasted cauliflower at the Horizon Lounge was fantastic, and the chocolate dome dessert at Sedna was highly praised.
• EVERYTHING at Horizon lounge as incredible with it being fairly priced and even underpriced IMO. A salad being 8$? Like cmon...
  • Room service breakfast was reasonably priced at $30 with no hidden fees.
• Haven't had room service breakfast yet.
• Views and Destinations: The room balconies and the stargazing from the Horizon Lounge are stunning. Half of the ports visited are breathtaking locations that are uniquely accessible because of the ship's smaller size.

AGREE

• Service Recovery: The staff ultimately corrected his allergy profile in their system and successfully passed his final room service test by leaving the beans out of a risotto.

Yes - I complained about the kids food coming out slow the first two nights, and the director of F&B gave me his whatsapp and told me to order directly with him and a time of when we wanted it and he would make sure it is done to the minute.

ASK AWAY.. I know that's a lot but wanted our experience vs Ryan's to be noted on this sub.